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Plan To Divert Brazilian River Draws Protests

Posted by: Nate Berg

30 August 2007 - 11:00am

Brazil is considering a bold plan to get water to its arid northeast by diverting one of the country's largest and most famous rivers. But many are protesting the plan, saying the water will mainly benefit business, not the rural poor who need it.

"President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva says hydro-electric energy is a sine qua non for the development of South America's biggest economy. But environmental and indigenous groups increasingly oppose massive engineering projects."

"The proposal to divert part of Brazil's mighty Sao Francisco River to the vast drought-prone Northeast epitomizes the debate."

"Now, this legendary river is at the center of one of Brazil's most ambitious infrastructure schemes to divert some of its waters to the impoverished northeast. The rural areas there are Brazil's poorest, according to the World Bank. But critics variously assail the $2.3 billion venture as a boondoggle, an environmental nightmare, and a vanity project."

"Some 2,000 opponents recently gathered along the river in the distressed Northeast state of Pernambuco, where the army has already begun work on the diversion project."

Full Story: Brazil River Dispute Highlights Larger Issue
Source: NPR, August 29, 2007
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